


Let Me Live 'Neath Your Spell

by GilgaNyan (NarryEm)



Series: Code Alternate Universe [1]
Category: Code Geass, 魔法使いの嫁 | Mahou Tsukai no Yome | The Ancient Magus Bride
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Fluff, M/M, SuzaLulu - Freeform, ancient magus' bride
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-02-14 05:20:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13000710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NarryEm/pseuds/GilgaNyan
Summary: Lelouch is a mysterious magus known to few in the magical world, under alias “Mage of Zero”. Rumours about the non-human yet non-inhuman magus swirl around him like wisps of smoke.Suzaku has known nothing but misfortune his whole life. His family and its legacy perished in a great fiery disaster, and Suzaku as the sole survivor holds the key to its truth.He forfeits his freedom and agrees to sell himself on the slave market. To everyone's surprise, Zero himself shows up and buys Suzaku for five million dollars.  It is up to the young Suzaku to decide exactly why the ancient mage decided to take him in.





	Let Me Live 'Neath Your Spell

**Author's Note:**

> title from "You Do Something To Me" by Sinnead O'Connor
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> There is no denying that The Ancient Magus’ Bride is the smash hit of Fall 2017. I caught up with the manga and I had to do mesh this with Code Geass plus a few of my own ~~poorly researched, coming soon~~ magical beings. I also moved the setting to Edmonton for convenience. Edmonton is perfect for a reclusive magus (and in case of a zombie apocalypse if you’re ok with the cold)! For a ‘big city’ it is pretty isolated ~~like most of the big cities in Canada~~ and since Britannia in canon is based in North America, it’s not totally weird . . . oh I guess Lelouch used American dollars to buy Suzaku for, uh, reasons.
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> Watch out for Taylor Swift lyrics sprinkled throughout. I just couldn’t help myself.

Kururugi Gendou made a terrible mistake when he borrowed the namesake of his firstborn—and soon to be only heir—son from the avian deity.  Likened to the Phoenix of the western folklores, the Suzaku symbolized power of fire, the south, and the summer season.  The name lent the boy warmth and a passionate personality, as well as a physical prowess particularly with a sword in his hands.

The first disaster struck when reports of sighting of mysterious, shadowy figures in the forest surrounding the Kururugi Shrine began to enter the Kururugi household.  Suzaku, a young boy aged nine, paid little attention to the fact.  He was more interested in playing with the other kids in the town at the foot of the mountain that was home to the Kururugi Shrine and the creatures that made their homes nearby. 

On the days that he couldn’t make it down the mountain path due to weather, he made friends with the odd, but nonetheless cute and loyal creatures.  The creatures didn’t resemble the common animals of the mortal world, but the young boy hardly knew the difference.  Every creature that loved to nuzzle his hand or bump its head against Suzaku’s forehead in a fond gesture was a friend to Suzaku.

It was too late by the time the next and final disaster struck two years later.  The shadows of unknown origins had consumed most areas in the once-verdant and peaceful forest.  Suzaku was forbidden to enter the forest and the grown-ups were thinking of relocating back to the city where other families of great power resided.

Nothing could be done when a fire started that one night in August.  It spread quickly and Suzaku was the only one to survive.  The only reason he survived was because he broke the rules by traipsing into the forest to find his old friends.  When he followed the tendrils of smoke soaring in the fire-lit sky, he found only his family shrine enshrouded in blue and green flames that were not of this world.

The villagers at the foot of the mountain managed to arrive at the shrine as dawn chased away night.  They were horrified to find the ten-year-old sitting by the embers and ruins, his clothes not singed by fire nor covered in soot.  People soon began calling him demon spawn, oni, youkai, and even a ghost.  The young orphan had no choice but to wander the streets and the woods alone.

Days passed.  Suzaku was still alone.  He was growing tired of surviving when a group of people all dressed in black and white suits approached him.  They introduced themselves as the Knights and offered him a deal.  If he sold himself off at an auction to be a slave, he could keep half the amount of the price his buyer would pay.  Without a family or home to return to, Suzaku agreed to the deal.

Contrary to his imaginings, he was not sold off immediately.  He learned that the shadows seen in the forest near his old home were products of magic, dark magic to be specific.  The odd creatures he befriended in years past were indeed magical creatures who were attracted to his aura. 

His temporary home was a mansion hidden in the suburbs close to Kyoto.  On the day that he was brought in, a woman with a bored expression was kind enough to scrub him down personally.  Suzaku would never forget the mortification of being powerless as a grown woman bathed him as easily as she would a baby.  He was then groomed so that he could be sold at a higher value.  She glared at his unruly curls and trimmed them to a length that she deemed to be suitable.  He was taught manners, some media of arts, and English to appeal to a variety of audience.

“It is odd that they took a liking to you,” one of the Knights mused, forcing Suzaku to read another children’s book written in English.  “They are known to favour the Sleigh Beggy, especially the faeries.  You have a seed of talent for magic within you, but you are not a Sleigh Beggy nor a magus.”

At the time, those words held little significance for Suzaku.  As he grew older, however, those words would come back to pester him.

Suzaku was almost relieved when the Knights finally decided on the auction day for him.  He was ordered to scrub himself clean (thankfully by himself in the privacy of a bathroom) and dress in formal kimono.  He wondered if his Japanese heritage was being played up in his marketing as he donned the clothes prepared for him.  The fabric of his kimono felt too silky for him to be wearing as he was being sold off.

The shackles didn’t feel as restrictive nor heavy as the Knights locked them around his neck, wrists, and ankles.  He was led to the stage when his name was called. As he was led to the stage by a chain attached to the shackle around his neck, he passed by literal cages filled with humans, beasts, and creatures who were neither human nor beast.  The sight made his stomach churn.  No, he couldn’t afford to be weak at a time like this.  He should be glad that he was treated better.

He couldn’t see the audience well since the lights were too harsh and bright on him, but he could still hear the murmurs coming from the seating area.

Suzaku tuned out the buyers bidding for him until somebody offered in a calm, yet arrogant voice: “Five million.”

Surprised gasps filled the auction hall.  Suzaku could see the shock on the auctioneer’s face as clear as day.  No one could top the amount, and Suzaku was soon returned to the backstage.

“Wow,” one of the Knights said.  “I can’t believe _he_ showed up.”

“I know right?” another joined in.  “I don’t think anyone has seen him in decades.”

“Not gonna complain though.  Who knew that the Mage of Zero was freakin’ loaded?  And five million for this scrawny kid?”

Oh.  Right.  He now has two and a half million dollars to his name.  that will take a while to get used to.  He is ushered into a small, unfurnished room and instructed to wait for his new master to come for him.

Several minutes tick by and the door creaks open.  The magus stood tall, dressed in a cloak and blue-purple suit with intricate patterns.  His face was hidden behind a curtain of silky fabric bearing the same design.

"What is your name, boy?" the magus asked. Now that Suzaku was up close to the magus, his masked face aroused fear inside Suzaku's heart. Suzaku wondered if the mage ever took the curtain of velvet off.

"El-Eleven, sir." Suzaku had readied himself for this. Ever since the fire, he had forsaken his own name.  When he had refused to reveal his name to the Knights, they assigned ‘Eleven’ to him.  They later explained that he was the eleventh child they found in a similar fashion.

The mage sighed, rather dramatically if Suzaku might add.

"I couldn't care less for the digits they assigned to you for the sole purpose of dehumanizing you and selling you," the mage said. "What is your actual name?"

Suzaku gulped. He could somehow feel a piercing gaze through the cloth barrier.

"Suzaku. Suzaku Kururugi, sir."

“Suzaku,” the magus muttered.  Shudders ran down Suzaku’s spine.  It is as though time stopped for the two of them when the magus uttered his name.  “Shall we go home then?”

“Y-yes, sir.”

The magus cocked his head.  “What are they, barbarians?” he sighed.  His snapped his fingers, causing the shackles to fall off.  “ _Now_ we can go.”

**Author's Note:**

>  ~~I guess an 18 y.o. (in the main story) having romantic feelings for a centuries old dude is still a bit pedophilic.~~  
>  that doesn't count as a spoiler now, does it?
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> if you like reading about totally straight guys playing with balls, please check out my Haikyuu fics as well as my other Code Geass fics, Owari no Seraph fics and some other anime.
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> follow me on [Tumblr](http://www.gilganyan-24.tumblr.com) for fandom-y nonsense and more!


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